Midnight Spin - Don't Let Me Sleep

Those disappointed in the direction Muse has taken with The 2nd Law, might find solace in Midnight Spin's new album Don't Let Me Sleep, a veritable firecracker with enough bombast, swagger and ferocity to make Muse sweat. If the craggy and crunchy opener "Lion Run," doesn't grab you, then perhaps the fiery march "Conchis Bliss," will do the trick. Though the song veers more towards Civil Twilight territory with its nuanced guitar work and heavy layer of atmospherics, there's still something very palpable and powerful in every passing second.

Restraint is always nice and knowing when to pull back the reins is always good. Midnight Spin is perfectly cognizant of this and offer up two of Don't Let Me Sleep's best. The first is the rollicking "Reagan Babies," arguably the disc's strongest song and one of 2013's best, and the slow-moving "Mission Beach," which echoes with shades of both U2 and Seattle grunge.

On the disc's second half, there's the supple "Colors," a pensive and pristine slice of mood pop. The Brooklyn quintet ups the sonic ante on the scorching "Phantoms," and "Animal," two cuts that kick and spit with anxiety and urgency. Those wanting more radio swagger can find comfort in the towering "Perfect Floating Man," and the leave-it-all-on-the-table "Don't Let Me Sleep." Fittingly, the disc ends with the fractious ballad "The Other Side of The World," a song which tries to pack the bevy of emotions of its predecessors into one concise statement. That it works as well as it does is only further proof of the band's inherent talents.

Though their sound is evocative more of Britain or the West Coast, this guitar-driven collective rattles off top-notch alt rock that has all the trappings to make a sizable dent in 2013 and beyond. Quite simply, there aren't many albums these days with few if any flaws, Don't Let Me Sleep is one of them. That this is also their full-length debut is even more reason to get more excited about these Brooklyn upstarts. Come to think of it, what else more needs to be said?